conducted by the naval officers. The natural history
work-room corresponds with the chart-room on the
port side, and as this is a novel addition to the equipment
of a surveying ship, I will describe it somcAvhat
in detail.
The room (Tig. 1) is 12 feet AA’ide hy 20 long, the
height between decks 6 feet 10 inches. It is lighted
by a large square port, a small scuttle, and tAvo
cupola sky-liglits, and the side toAvards the main-deck
is closed hy moveable glazed sashes. At either end
are fitted broad mahogany dressers, Avith knee-holes
and spacious cupboards and tiers of draw’ers beneath,
and book-shelves and cupboards against the bulkheads
above. At the hack of the dressers all round are
racks with holes to fit the fisli-glohes and the bottles
of various sizes which are in constant use, and similar
racks are fitted wherever there is available space
against the ship’s side. Tor convenience of Avorking
at sea it is impossible to have too many such racks
where bottles may he instantly put in safety in case
of the vessel suddenly rolling. Racks for test-tubes,
Avhich are simply thick slabs of mahogany drilled
Avitli deep holes to fit the tubes set as closely as
possible, are fitted against the wmlls. Similar slabs
of smaller sizes are also used for standing on the
table Avhile tubes are being filled Avitli specimens.
Some of the draAvers in the dressers are fitted
AAuth racks for smaller bottles, for specimens under
examination or for reagents, and others Avliich contain
forceps, tools, corks, and all the innumerable
small things of a rougher description required for
all our complicated operations, are cut up hy vertical
partitions into small compartments to prevent iheir